Since its initiation in 1999, the award recognizes outstanding contributions by Michigan State University faculty and staff to Honors teaching and Honors students and demonstrates the university’s commitment to Honors student education.

“There are conversations ongoing about how to assess teaching excellence and how we value one-on-one mentoring,” Fenton said. “For me, this award signals that students and faculty highly value the unique and intimate role of research mentoring. This is another way that we teach and touch the lives of students and their future careers, not just in the classroom.”

Since 2002, Fenton has mentored 20 Honors College students in her research lab, including nine through the Professorial Assistantship Program. Many of these students have presented their research at the Undergraduate Research and Arts Forum, or UURAF, and at national conferences or have published their research.

Fenton has taught Honors students in a graduate level course, Human Nutrition and Chronic Disease Prevention, and supervised Honors option projects in an undergraduate level course, Contemporary Issues in Human Nutrition. She’s also taught Honors students participating in a Freshman Seminar Abroad.

“Faculty mentoring is an invaluable experience for Honors College students at MSU,” said Cynthia Jackson-Elmoore, dean of the Honors College. “On behalf of the Honors College, we congratulate Jenifer Fenton on earning this award and thank her for providing valuable learning experiences for our students.”

MSU will host 72 high school teams in Jenison Field House on Sunday, Feb. 24, for the 2019 Michigan VEX Robotics State Championships. Around 500 of Michigan's top STEM high school students will participate.